When designing data transmission networks comprising optical fibers, it is necessary to handle optical fibers, especially to connect optical fibers to one another. Junctions between optical fibers can be provided by patch connections and splice connections. In addition it is often necessary to fan-out individual optical fibers from a fiber bundle or fiber cable. When providing such a fiber fan-out, optical fibers of the fiber bundle or fiber cable need to be inserted into individual furcation tubes. The furcation tubes protect the fibers between the fiber bundle or fiber cable and a connector. The furcation tubes usually have an outer diameter of 900 μm, an inner diameter of 400 μm and a length of 25 inches (63.5 cm), 36 inches (91.4 cm) or 47 inches (119.4 cm). The tolerances for the furcation tubes are ±75 μm for the inner and the outer diameter. The optical fibers which need to be inserted into the furcation tubes usually have an outer diameter of 200 μm or 250 μm.
The installation manual “Indoor Applications Kit—6- or 12-Fiber Buffer Tube Fan-out (BTF) Kit, standard recommended procedure 000-084, issue 17, Aug. 2010, Corning Cable Systems LLC” discloses a prior art fan-out kit and a prior art method for inserting optical fibers into furcation tubes. Although the current procedure is effective, there remains room for improvement.
For example, it can be a challenge to bring the fan-out kit body to the right position without kinking the optical fibers. When optical fibers of a gel-filled fiber bundle or gel-filled fiber cable need to be handled, no gel residue on the optical fibers is allowed. A gel residue would block the insertion into the furcation tubes, because the optical fibers would stick at the inner side of the furcation tube and there would be no possibility to pull the optical fiber further. The furcation tube would then be contaminated and a new fan-out kit would have to be used. The cleaning of the optical fibers from the gel can be time consuming and takes the risk to damage the optical fibers.